Make the most of your time at the vines

SUCCESSFUL VENTURE: Ridgemill Estate has won several awards for its wines.Contributed

by Sean Teuma

ARRIVING at night in any location after a hard day at work can get you down, and give you a bad first impression of a new place.

Especially at the start of spring, when the chill of winter is still in the air and an overbearing number of layers are required to stay warm.

Thankfully, I was warmed by the hospitality upon arriving at the Ridgemill Estate in Stanthorpe by owner Michelle Feenan.

I walked to my spacious cabin, where I found a bottle of rose, fresh fruit, and a hulking bed with more pillows than a department store.

With generous air-conditioning and a fireplace stocked with enough wood for the rest of the year, there was no chance I was going to be cold.

I don't consider myself a wine aficionado by any stretch of the imagination, however just listening to fellow estate owner Martin Cooper speak about the processes and dedication that goes into every single bottle gave me a new appreciation.